Duplicate desk



(No Model.)

' J. C. LAUGHLIN.

DUPLICATE DESK.

N 0.-571,486. Patented Nov. 17, 1896.

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JAMES C. LAUGI-ILIN, OF COLUMBUS, INDIANA.

DUPLICATE DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,486, dated November1'7, 1896.

Application filed anuary 8, 1896. Serial No. 574,781. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES C. LAUGHLIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Golumbus, in the county of Bartholomew and State of Indiana,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Duplicate Desks, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved desk, designed more particularly forthe use of insurance agents and others who represent numerous companiesor enterprises.

The object of myimprovement is to provide a desk adapted to hold inseparate compartments the books' and blank forms pertaining to a seriesof distinct enterprises, as the several companies represented by aninsurance agent, the whole being compactly and conveniently arranged, ashereinafter fully set forth.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation showing two parts of the desk open.Fig. 2 represents, on a reduced scale, a transverse section on line 2 2of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a similar section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, at indicates a rectangular upright casing pivotallymounted so as to turn in a horizontal plane on a base 5. The upper halfof said casing is divided by a series of vertical partitions 6 into aseries of equal rectangular compartments 7, 8, 9, and 10, each of saidcompartments being open on the outer side, which opening is closed by apair of vertically-swinging doors 11 and 12, door 11 being hinged to thelower edge of the opening and door 12 being hinged to the upper edgethereof, the door 11 being of sufficient width to form a convenientwriting-table.

For the purpose of causing doors 11 and 12 to open and closesimultaneously and for supporting them when open they are connected bythe following mechanism: A lever 13 is pivoted to the inner side of thecasing so as to swing in a vertical plane thereon, and the opposite endsof said lever are connected, respectively, with the doors 11 and 12 bylinks 14 and 15, each of which is pivoted at one end to the leverand atthe other end to the inner side of a door.

Jach of the compartments 7, 8, 9, and 10 is divided by transverse andvertical partitions 16 and 17 into a series of compartments, each ofwhich is provided with a series of vertical pockets 18, and the upperpart of the space is provided with series of pigeonholes 1D and 20.

The lower portion of the casing is divided by vertical partitions 21into a series of like compartments 22, 23, 24-, and 25, each of which isopen on the outside, and said opening is closed by ahorizontally-swinging door 26. Each of said compartments is subdividedby suitable partitions into a series of book-stalls 27, pi geonholes 28,and receptacles for blanks 29 and 30.

It will thus be seen that each side of the casing presents a deskprovided with a writing-table and adapted to store the books and blankforms of several agencies or enterprises, each having its appropriateplace, and that by turning the casin g upon its pivot the agent mayhave, with the form of case illustrated, convenient access to the booksand papers of any one of a number of different agencies without leavinghis seat.

I claim as my invention- 1. A desk, consisting of a hollow casing,divided into an upper and a lower portion, having its upper part dividedby suitable vertical partitions into a series of compartments, eachhaving an open side,vertically-swinging doors adapted to close saidopenings, and one of said doors adapted when open to form awriting-table, the lower portion of said casing being also divided by aseries of vertical partitions into a series of compartments each havingan open side, each of the compartments formed in the upper and lowerportions of the casing being subdivided by suitable partitions intoaseries of compartments adapted to hold books and papers, substantiallyas set forth.

2. A desk, consisting of a hollow casing, divided into an upper and alower portion, having its upper part divided by suitable verticalpartitions into a series of compartments each having an open side, apair of verticallyswinging doors adapted to close said opening, one ofsaid doors being adapted, when open, to form a writing-table, the lowerportion of said casin g being also divided by vertical partitions into aseries of compartments each having an open side, which is closed, by ahorizontally-swinging door, each of said compartments formed in theupper and lower por- IOC tions of the casingbeing subdivided by suitablepartitions into a series of compartments adapted to hold books andpapers, substantially as set forth.

3. In a desk, the combination of a casing, a compartment formed withinsaid casing and having an opening in one side thereof, a pair ofvertically-swinging doors hinged to opposite sides of said opening, oneof said doors 10 being adapted, when open, to form a Writingtable, andintermediate connecting mechanism connecting said doors, substantiallyas shown and described, whereby the doors are simultaneously operated,and are supported when open, substantially as set forth.

JAMES C. LAUGHLIN. Witnesses:

ETTA REDENBOUGH, DANIEL J UDD.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 571,486, grantedNovember 17, 1896, upon the application of James O. Laughlin, ofColumbus, Indiana, for an improvement in Duplicate Desks, an errorappears in the printed specification requiring correction, as follows:In lines 81-82, page 1, the Words one of said doors should be strickenout; and that the said Letters Patent should be read With thiscorrection therein that the same may conform to the record of the casein the Patent Office.

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 24th day of November, A.. D.1896.

J N O. M. REYNOLDS, Assistant Secretary of the Interior.

[SEAL] Counter-signed:

JOHN S. SEYMOUR,

Commissioner of Patents.

